Time fuze adjustment

ABSTRACT

A time fuze is provided with adjustable means for setting the time delay and time range thereof. These adjustments may be made by an adjusting device in a single operation wherein the time delay is set in response to rotation of the adjusting device on the fuze, and the time range is set in response to axial movement of the adjusting device on the fuze.

Unite States Kaiser et al.

[ July 23, 1974 TIME FUZE ADJUSTMENT Inventors: Paul Kaiser, Schramberg; Hans Kaiser, Konigsfeld; Josef Miiller, Schramberg-Sulgen, all of Germany Assignee: Firma J unghans G.m.b.H.,

Schramberg, Germany Filed: Jan. 2, 1973 Appl. No.1 320,174

Foreign Application Priority Data Jan. 7, 1972 Germany 2200540 US. Cl. 89/6, 102/84 Int. Cl. F42c 17/00 Field of Search 89/6, 6.5;

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2/1909 Schwartz et l. 89/6 988,750 4/1911 Wilck 89/6 1,079,885 11/1913 Schwartz 89/6 3,713,285 1/1973 Haufe 58/395 Primary Examiner-Samuel W. Engle Attorney, Agent, or Firm-B urns, Doane, Swecker & I

Mathis [5 7 ABSTRACT A time fuze is provided with adjustable means for setting the time delay and time range thereof. These adjustments may be made by an adjusting device in a single operation wherein the time delay is set in response to rotation of the adjusting device on the fuze, and the time range is set in response to axial movement of the adjusting device on the fuze.

8 Claims, 7 Drawing Figures PEER! JULE? 31914 SHEET 3 (if g TIME FUZE ADJUSTIVENT BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to a time fuze for a projectile with an element rotatable around the fuze axis for setting the fuze and with adjusting bolt, rotatable around an essentially perpendicular axis in relation to the axis of the fuze, for the purpose of chaning the time range within which the setting is made. The invention furthermore relates to an adjusting device for setting the time fuze of a projectile of the previously mentioned kind, with apart encircling the fuze, which part is provided with a drive member which can be brought into positive connection with the rotatable part of the fuze.

A clockwork fuze with a rotating setting ring which can be adjusted for different time ranges by means of an adjusting bolt, accessible from the outside, with the setting being accomplished within said ranges is already known; see for example German Pat. No. 977,759. In such case, we are dealing with a clockwork fuze having an engaging slit provided in the rotating ring, which slit is covered up in the zero position by a safety. The engaging slit, at an angle of incidence between and 360, either passes through an angular path lying between 0 and 360 or an angular path between 360 and 720.

Furthermore an adjusting device is known for setting a fuze on a projectile (German published application 2,002,835), which device is provided with a rotatable casing and with a drive member connected with the casing and movable counter to the action of a spring. Such an adjusting device can be used for setting the afore-mentioned fuze. Whenever such an adjusting device is used for a fuze of the afore-mentioned kind, an operation of an adjusting bolt may be subsequently necessary, in order to set the desired time range. This subsequent operation of the adjusting bolt is cumbersome and time consuming. Besides, there is the danger that because of the hurry with which the adjustment of the fuze is often made, the correct adjustment of the bolt from short to long (time) or vice versa is omitted.

OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION The invention is based on'the objective of developing a time fuze for a projectile of the initially-stated type wherein a separate operation of the adjusting bolt for the time range adjustment, independently of the adjustment of the fuze adjusting device, will be avoided.

The invention is furthermore based-on the objective of developing an adjusting device for the setting of a projectile fuze of the above mentioned type in such a way that a simplified operation of the adjusting bolt for the time range adjustment is made possible, without there being any need for an individual adjustment of the fuze, i.e., without it being necessary to carry out any additional operation.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The objective of the invention is achieved by providing the part of the adjusting bolt, located outside the fuze in the case of a time fuze for a projectile, with at least one projection. This projection is arranged such that it may be adjustable in the direction of the fuze axis, i.e., in response to the application thereagainst of a force direced parallel to the fuze axis, with the help 2 of a part of a fuze adjusting device engaging this projection of the adjusting bolt during movement of the device.

The adjusting bolt is preferably provided with a sector-shaped projection which is arranged in a slit on the periphery of the fuze, the slit running in the direction of the fuze axis.

According to the invention the adjusting device for setting the fuze of the projectile is characterized in that it is provided with an inwardly directed projection. This projection is changeable in its position, and can be made to engage with and shiftthe projection of the adjusting bolt of the fuze in response to movement of the adjusting device on the fuze, preferably during removal of the adjusting device from the fuze. Preferably, the inwardly directed projection of the adjusting device is disposed eccentrically on a lever arrangement and is pivotal around an axis which is perpendicular in relation to the central axis of the adjusting device. The inwardly directed projection of the adjusting device effectively comprises a bolt loaded by an advancing spring and mounted perpendicularly shiftably relative to the central axis of said adjusting device. The bolt can be provided at its free end with a noselike projection, or cam extension, arranged eccentrically.

Preferably, the bolt is rotatable in its mounting by being connected pivotally with the lever arrangement. A recess is provided in a non-pivotal part of the adjusting device and receives the head of the bolt provided with the noselike projection to guide this head for nonpivotal shifting movement.

THE DRAWINGS The invention will be described in more detail on the basis of an embodiment shown in the drawing by way of example.

FIG. 1 shows a perspective presentation of an adjusting device according to the invention, placed on the nose of the projectile, for the purpose of setting the fuze;

FIG. 2 shows a out following line 22 in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a side view of a section of the device according to FIG. 1, namely of the device for setting the time range, which in this case is in the long time adjustment;

FIG. 4 shows a cut. following line 4-4 of FIG. 2 (for adjustment of the time range in the long time adjustment);

FIG. 5 is a view of the time range adjustment shown in FIG. 3, which here however is in the short time adjustment (setting) of the DEVICE: device;

FIG. 6 shows a cut following line 4-4 in FIG. 2, whereby however the device for adjustment of the time range is in the short time adjustment; and

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a projectile time fuze, developed according to the invention, the adjustment of which may be made by the adjusting device according to the invention.

DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT In FIG. 7 number 10 designates a time fuze which can be screwed on a projectile by means of a threaded projection 17 provided at its rear end. The fuze .10 comprises a fixed nose 11, a rotatable time-adjusting part 12, anda fixed part 13. In the drawing, the rotatable time adjusting part 12 is shown in its zero position or safety position. By turning part 12, the fuze is set, i.e., a predetermined delay time for firing is arranged. This turn of part 12 from its Zero position shown in FIG. 7 is a measure for the delay time. For this purpose, the part 12 can be turned a maximum of 360. By such a complete turn, a delay time of about from O to 75 seconds can be set. In order to be able to set also more extended delay times with the complete turn, the part 13 contains a rotary adjusting member or bolt 16, which can be put for example into two different positions. For example the fuze 10, shown in FIG. 7, in the case of the position of the adjusting bolt 16 as shown therein, is in the short time adjustment, i.e., by a turn of part 12 up to 360 a delay time of O to about 75 seconds can be set. Whenever the adjusting bolt 16 is reversed, i.e., turned to its long time adjustment, then a delay time of 75 to 150 seconds is possible as the result of a turn of the part 12.

The rotatable part 12 and the part 13, have slits 14 and 15 respectively, running in the longitudinal direcion of the fuze, which slits are provided for an accomodating adjusting device. This adjusting device contains projections, which can engage with the above mentioned slits 14 and 15, as a result of which a predetermined twisting of the part 12 will be achieved.

In order to ensure a per-force (i.e., simultaneous) and predetermined adjustment of the adjusting bolt 16 during the setting of the fuze, the adjusting bolt 16 has a rotary projection 16a, which in the embodiment shown by way of example has about the form of a ciruclar sector. The adjusting device for seting the fuze has, among other things, a cam projection engaging inwardly with slit 15, which cam projection can be moved into two separate positions. If, after twisting of part 12 by the adjusting device, the latter is pulled off the fuze, then the above-mentioned cam projection can cause a shifting of the adjusting bolt 16 into a predetermined position. It is thus possible to carry out the time adjustment completely mechanically, without there being any need for the adjusting individual to make special reflections or determinations in each case concerning the adjustment of the time range subsequent to twisting the part 12.

A fuze adjusting device suitable for the setting of the fuze according to FIG. 7 is shown in FIGS. 1 to 6. In this case we are dealing with a manual adjusting device, which is used preferably for individual projectiles. The measures according to the invention, but naturally also in the case of automatic adjusting devices, are used for quantity adjustment (setting) of projectiles.

In FIGS. 1 to 6, the fuze shown in FIG. 7 is indicated by 10. The adjusting device is placed on this fuze. The later essentially comprises three construction units, namely a time setting device 20, 21, a time-range setting device 30, 31, 35 according to the invention, and a carrier part 23 for the above mentioned construction units.

The time setting portion of the adjusting device (FIGS. 1 and 2) comprises a handle arrangement 22 and an essentially annular, centrally, apertured part 20, as well as a pointer 40 and a driver 21. These parts are mounted rotatably as a unit in the carrier part 23. Furthermore, a stop bolt 28 is also attached to the carrier, which stop bolt is arranged approximately perpendicularly to the longitudinal axis of the adjusting device and is shiftable in its (the bolts longitudinal direction. This bolt 28 is loaded by a spring 27, which strives to force it inward, i.e., in a direction toward the fuze. The bolt is guided against twisting by means of its noncircular head 28a being slidably disposed in a cooperable part 24 of the carrier 23 (FIG. 4).

The adjustment of the adjusting device takes place in such a way, that the part 20 is twisted by a predetermined angle in relation to part 23, whereby the pointer 40 shown in FIG. 1, points to a scale on the carrier 23, which indicates the delay time set. In this position, the part 20 is immovably fixed to the carrier 23 by tightening the screw 41 (FIG. 1). The device is then placed on the fuze in such a way, that the annular part 20 encircles the fuze, with the driver 21 engaging with slit 14 of the rotatable part 12. Since the stop bolt 28 has been angularly twisted in relation to the driver 21, the latter does not engage with slit 15, but is forced outward by the wall of the fuze. Now the adjusting device is twisted with the help of the handle 22, until the stop bolt 28 again arrives in the area of the slit 15 and is here forced into the slit 15 by the action of the spring 27. Thus the adjusting device is locked against any further twisting and the part 12 has been put in the desired angular position to set the time delay.

The fuze adjusting device furthermore comrises a range-setting portion including a cam bolt 35, which is rotatably mounted in two extensions (projections) of two respective casings 25 and 26 and is eccentric relative to the axis of stop bolt 28. The casing 25 is mounted rotatably on the round shaft of the bolt 28. The casing 25 also abuts against the heas 28a to transmit biasing forces from the spring 27 and to be shifted outwardly by the head 28a when this head is engaged by the surface of the part 13.

The casing 26 is guided by the casing 25 and is furthermore mounted rotatably in a wall 33 of the carrier part 23. The casing 26 is connected with a lever disk 30 for rotation therewith, by way of a bolt nut 29, the disk being provided with a handle element 31. This handle element 31 has a bolt, or pin, the point 31a of which can selectively engage with bores 23a, preferably two in number, of the carrier element 23. The top of the disc 30 is guidably arranged in a curved slot 23b of the carrier. The pin of the handle element 31 is shiftable in a longitudinal direction and is loaded by a spring, by which the point 31a is forced each time in the direction of a bore 23a. In this manner the lever disc 30 can be moved in various positions and can be locked in each position. At the same time, the casing 25 rotates on the round shaft of the bolt 28, while the casing 26, as mentioned already, is guided by the casing 25 and rotates due to its rotatable mounting in the wall 33. The cam bolt 35 therefore can be swung into two terminal positions by the parts 25, 26 and 30.

The eccentric cam bolt 35 is provided with a head 35a, which is guided non-twistably in recess of a fixed part of the carrier 23, with the aid of suitably disposed guide surfaces cooperating with associated portions of the head. The bolt is loaded with a spring 36, which strives to force it into the position shown in FIG. 2, i.e., inwardly toward the fiize. The head of the bolt furthermore has a nose-like cam projection or extension 35b which extends into the area to the fuze setting or adjusting bolt 16 in a manner wherein it is operable to cause a shifting of the adjusting bolt 16 whenever the adjusting device is pulled off the fuze. In this manner the time range for the fuze setting is determined.

In the FIGS. 3 and 4 the arrangement for setting the time range is shown separately in more detail. The rotary extension 160 is shown in the short-time position. The lever disk 30, and the cam projection 35b, in this case, are inthe long time adjustment previously described. Whenever the adjusting device is twisted in time adjustment operation, until the head of the bolt engages with slit 15, the nose-shaped cam extension 35b of the bolt 35 is forced into the slit as shown in FIG. 4. Whenever now, the adjusting device is pulled off the fuze, the nose-shaped cam extension 35b is moved against the rotary projection 16a of the fuze setting bolt l6 and rotates the adjusting bolt 16, so that it is put into the long time setting. If, on the other hand, the fuze setting bolt 16 has already been in the longtime setting, then the nose-shaped cam extension 3512 merely moves past the rotary projection 16a, without any shifting of the fuze setting bolt 16.

In FIGS. 5 and 6 is shown the time range setting device in is short time setting position previously described. Here, as shown in FIG. 6, the nose-shaped cam extension 35b is in its antithetic position. When pulling off the fuze adjusting device, the cam extension 35b is moved against the rotary projection 16a and as a result the fuze setting bolt is rotated, as a result of which it is brought into the short-time position (shown in FIG. 4).

OPERATION In order to be able to accomplish a time setting of the time fuze, the adjusting device, shown in FIGS. 1 to 6, is twisted in such a way, that the pointer 40 will point to the desired delay time, in the example shown in FIG.

1, to the delay times of 20 (short-time) 100 (long-time) seconds. Then the parts of the adjusting device, which are rotatable in relation to one another, are fixed against relative rotation with the aid of the adjusting screw 41.

If for example, the time fuze is to be set at a delay time of 100 seconds, then the lever disk 30 and cam projection 35b must be brought into the corresponding long-time position for this purpose as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4. Then the adjusting device is placed on the fuze in the manner already described (FIG. 2), so that the driver 2 engages with slit 14. The operator will then achieve the desired rotation of the fuze element 12 by a twist of the adjusting device by means of handle 22 until the stop bolt 28 is biased into the slit 15. The noseshaped cam extension 35b of the bolt 35 is forced into slit 15 simultaneously with bolt 28, and during subsequent pulling off of the adjusting device from the fuze, the adjusting bolt 16 is rotated by the cam extension 35b into the desired long-time position. Thus the time fuze is set automatically to the desired delay time, in response to removal of the fuze adjusting device, without there being any need for the operators to pay any further particular attention to the adjustment of the time range. Thus an absolutely safe and very quick time setting is ensured.

Consequently, if it is desired that the fuze be placed in a short-time range, then the pin 31 is removed from its bore 23a and the lever disc 30 is swung to its shorttime position (FIG. 5). This occurs, of course, before the adjusting device is mounted on the fuze. Subsequent to the time adjusting rotation of the part 12, the

fuze is removed, and the rotary projection 16a is swung to its short-time position, if not already there, by the cam projection 3512.

MAJOR ADVANTAGES AND SCOPE OF THE INVENTION The present invention provides for an effective incorporation of the time-delay adjustment and the timerange adjustment of a fuze into one convenient operation.

Tus, there is no need for a separate, time consuming operation to be performed to set the range, with the chance that such a separate operation might be inadvertently omitted.

The present invention also provides for an automatic setting of the time range in a selected one of a plurality of positions merely by shifting a control lever.

Moreover, the improvements of the present inven tion may be easily incorporated into known apparatus, or method steps, for adjustingfuzes.

Although the invention has been described in connection with a preferred embodiment thereof, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that additions, modifications, substitutions, and'deletions not specifically described may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A fuze adjusting device for use in setting the time delay of a projectile fuze, the fuze including: a primary time setting actuator rotatable about the longitudinal fuze axis, and a secondary time range adjusting member having at least two positions of time range adjustment and including projection means extending perpendicular to the fuze axis and being shiftable in response to the application thereagainst of forces directed generally parallel to the fuze axis for moving said secondary time range adjusting member between its two positions of adjustment; the fuze adjusting device being removably installable onto said fuze and comprising:

an apertured housing for encircling a part of the fuze when said fuze adjusting device is installed onto said fuze;

a driver carried by said housing for transmitting totary force from said installed housing to said primary time-setting actuator in response to rotation of said housing, so as to set said primary timesetting actuator in a desired time-setting position; and

means for selectively applying a force to said projection means of the secondary time range adjusting member in response to removal from the fuze of said fuse adjusting device along the longitudinal fuze axis, said force applying means comprising: inwardly projecting cam means carried by said housing for selective movement relative thereto between at least two fixedly secured adjustment locations corresponding to the two positions of said projection means, said cam means being arranged:

l. to be rotated along with said housing such that, with the desired adjustment of said primary timesetting actuator being completed, said cam means faces a surface portion of the projection means of the secondary time range-adjusting member when the latter is oriented in a position other than the desired position of adjustment, and

2. to be removed from said fuze along with said housing to shift the projection means and the secondary time range-adjusting member to the desired range-adjustment position thereof.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said projection means of said fuze comprises a rotary adjusting bolt of sector-like configuration disposed so as to be received within a longitudinal slit carried by the periphery of said fuze.

3. The apparatus according to claim 2 and further including: lever means on said apertured housing being arranged for pivotal movement about an axis; said cam means being operably connected to said lever means in an eccentric orientation relative to said lever axis so as to be movable between said adjustment locations in response to pivoting of said lever.

4. The apparatus according to claim 3 wherein said lever means includes a plate of sector-like configuration.

5. The apparatus according to claim 3 wherein said fuze adjusting device further includes a stop member on said housing for limiting rotation of said primary time-setting actuator by said adjusting device; said lever axis being co-axial with the axis of said stop bolt.

6. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein said cam means includes: a cam bolt mounted for shifting movement generally perpendicularly to the central axis of said adjusting device; and spring means for biasing said bolt inwardly toward the fuze.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein said cam means comprises a nose-shaped cam extension arranged eccentrically relative to the longitudinal axis of said cam bolt.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 including:

bearing means connected to said lever means and rotatably mounting said cam bolt; and

the cam bolt including a head which is shiftably mounted in a recess formed in a stationary part of said adjusting device in a manner preventing rotation of said head. 

1. A fuze adjusting device for use in setting the time delay of a projectile fuze, the fuze including: a primary time setting actuator rotatable about the longitudinal fuze axis, and a secondary time range adjusting member having at least two positions of time range adjustment and including projection means extending perpendicular to the fuze axis and being shiftable in response to the application thereagainst of forces directed generally parallel to the fuze axis for moving said secondary time range adjusting member between its two positions of adjustment; the fuze adjusting device being removably installable onto said fuze and comprising: an apertured housing for encircling a part of the fuze when said fuze adjusting device is Installed onto said fuze; a driver carried by said housing for transmitting rotary force from said installed housing to said primary time-setting actuator in response to rotation of said housing, so as to set said primary time-setting actuator in a desired time-setting position; and means for selectively applying a force to said projection means of the secondary time range adjusting member in response to removal from the fuze of said fuse adjusting device along the longitudinal fuze axis, said force applying means comprising: inwardly projecting cam means carried by said housing for selective movement relative thereto between at least two fixedly secured adjustment locations corresponding to the two positions of said projection means, said cam means being arranged:
 1. to be rotated along with said housing such that, with the desired adjustment of said primary time-setting actuator being completed, said cam means faces a surface portion of the projection means of the secondary time range-adjusting member when the latter is oriented in a position other than the desired position of adjustment, and
 2. to be removed from said fuze along with said housing to shift the projection means and the secondary time rangeadjusting member to the desired range-adjustment position thereof.
 2. to be removed from said fuze along with said housing to shift the projection means and the secondary time range-adjusting member to the desired range-adjustment position thereof.
 2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said projection means of said fuze comprises a rotary adjusting bolt of sector-like configuration disposed so as to be received within a longitudinal slit carried by the periphery of said fuze.
 3. The apparatus according to claim 2 and further including: lever means on said apertured housing being arranged for pivotal movement about an axis; said cam means being operably connected to said lever means in an eccentric orientation relative to said lever axis so as to be movable between said adjustment locations in response to pivoting of said lever.
 4. The apparatus according to claim 3 wherein said lever means includes a plate of sector-like configuration.
 5. The apparatus according to claim 3 wherein said fuze adjusting device further includes a stop member on said housing for limiting rotation of said primary time-setting actuator by said adjusting device; said lever axis being co-axial with the axis of said stop bolt.
 6. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein said cam means includes: a cam bolt mounted for shifting movement generally perpendicularly to the central axis of said adjusting device; and spring means for biasing said bolt inwardly toward the fuze.
 7. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein said cam means comprises a nose-shaped cam extension arranged eccentrically relative to the longitudinal axis of said cam bolt.
 8. The apparatus of claim 7 including: bearing means connected to said lever means and rotatably mounting said cam bolt; and the cam bolt including a head which is shiftably mounted in a recess formed in a stationary part of said adjusting device in a manner preventing rotation of said head. 